Fatima Clarke 
Fascination with Nigel Havers’ Radio 4 Show I’m quite taken with the BBC Radio 4 show, Nigel Havers’ Ravers, where you share tales from the ecstasy-driven 90s summers of love. I’ve always wondered if it was a) real, b) a clever, bizarre spoof, or c) just a figment of my imagination. Can you clarify, Nigel? … Read more
20. Oceanic Feeling (2021) Lorde’s track “Oceanic Feeling” from her third album “Solar Power” could be seen as a goodbye to her pursuit of mainstream fame. The song hints at her moving away from her iconic “cherry black lipstick,” which she describes as now unused and stored away. Instead, she embraces a relaxed, sun-drenched tribute … Read more
Mark Knopfler, Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter While browsing through an electronics store in New York, I encountered a loudmouthed delivery man making quite the scene. Every television was showing MTV, and he was loudly critiquing the rock stars being featured. He was speaking to a young store clerk, and some of the phrases he used were incredibly striking. … Read more
20. Red One (2024) Dwayne Johnson is set to dramatically change his cinematic course. His upcoming projects include a Benny Safdie-directed drama about an MMA fighter struggling with addiction and a true-crime drama backed by Martin Scorsese. This shift towards more mature filmmaking appears to be triggered by Red One, a lackluster Christmas action movie. … Read more
Reflecting on a long career, when did you realize you had truly succeeded? LondonLuvverMusic was initially just a pastime while I was focused on social activism at college. My partner, who managed several blues musicians, allowed me to open their shows for fun and to meet my musical idols. Unexpectedly, being a female blues guitarist … Read more
My First Musical LoveThe track “Tana Mana” by my father, Ravi Shankar, marks my earliest affection for music. During the 1980s, he was exploring the use of synthesizers and produced an album by the same name, which stands out as unique in his collection of works. The main track from this album would ignite my … Read more
Remembering Georg Philipp Telemann Consider the legacy of Georg Philipp Telemann, a close associate of Bach and Handel and godfather to Bach’s son Carl Philipp Emanuel. Despite composing over 3,000 pieces, including 29 surviving operas, Telemann’s rich and prolific output is not as celebrated as it should be. For those unfamiliar with his work, a … Read more
Two years after its initial launch, the former NHS doctor Grace Ofori-Attah returned with the first season of Malpractice, a gripping narrative centered on an emergency room doctor whose mistakes, made under extreme duress and compounded by the inexperience and stress of his colleagues, lead to a patient’s death. The series then intensified, exploring timely … Read more
Eric Puchner, an American novelist, has outdone himself with his latest work, a grand and sweeping novel that mirrors the expansive vistas of Montana. Titled “Dream State,” the story begins in 2004, capturing a moment with a young woman diving into a pristine lake, surrounded by the majestic Salish mountains, just one month before her … Read more
Referencing Classic Cinema: A Risky Move Attempting to evoke classic films can be perilous, as it might only serve to underscore one’s own cinematic flaws. In a British film with a modest budget, two characters resembling Gypsies—or perhaps demons—recite a tune from Robert Mitchum in “Night of the Hunter” and sport tattoos of the words … Read more
